2.07.2011

Belated Post: The Queen of Cups

It just so happens that every so often I come across pictures of a restaurant or something that I made and for whatever reason, never wrote and posted about. It doesn't meant that these items or eats were any less memorable or important than others, in fact I blame it on the fact there is just so much good food out there! So much to write....so little time...

My Mom and Sis

Me and my Momma

Anyways, last month I posted on my Mom's Birthday and I talked about the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes that I made for her. What I neglected to share was the fact that my sister Beth and I took our Mom out for a drive to the Berkshires in order to poke around at some shops. It was a quintessential New England day, the kind of day where pretty snow gracefully falls (i.e. snow that doesn't add up to anything and just makes things look pretty) and there is a chilly bite in the air as we drove to the far end of the state. Past historic landmarks and snowy fields, we stumbled upon the ever so quaint Queen of Cups located in Bernardston, MA.

Mom checking out the bakery cases and teas..isn't she the cutest?

The Queen of Cups (sorry, they don't appear to have a website so I linked to their Yelp page) is a traditional English Tea Room that, on one hand, is a mix of classic tea room decor with fancy little tea cups and kettles on display, lacy accents and then on the other hand is comfortable and homey with a giant real-wood running fireplace and couches for lounging around and enjoying a cup of tea. And speaking of tea, there is quite the variety of it. Reading off of a large chalkboard bearing the names of all sorts of green, black and chai teas, I selected a ginger lemongrass green tea that was served warm and quite tasty. My Mom and sis both had a cup of hot chocolate and both were totally ecstatic that it was real chocolate melted into whole milk until it was frothy, foamy, rich and chocolatey.

Giant piece of German Spice cake and Hot Chocolate

Insofar as eats are concerned, there was quite the variety of deliciously fresh baked goods. From cakes and cookies to their famous scones, ranging in several varieties of flavors, it was hard to decide what to get. My Mom ended up getting a slice of their German Spice cake. The piece of cake was giant but so good, my Mom couldn't leave it behind and ended up taking half of it home with her.

Beth sampling the cake

My sister and I each opted for a scone, she had the chocolate raspberry scone and I selected the currant scone. Let me pause here for a moment and give you my two cents on scones. I used to hate scones because I thought they were lame, flavorless and crumbly. That was before I had a proper scone, made the way they should be, flaky, buttery and with a melt-in-your mouth quality. These scones were the definition of a perfect scone. Studded with currants and served with a small pat of butter and homemade strawberry jam, I would drive all the way out to Bernardston just to get another one. They were just that good. In addition to great baked goods, The Queen of Cups also offers up a reasonably priced breakfast and lunch menu with some selections of local and traditional English fare.

The most delicious currant scone I've ever had. Seriously.

If in the off chance you find yourself in Bernardston, be sure to stop into The Queen of Cups and don't forget to get a scone, you won't regret it.

I have half written blog posts from last summer, it's awful. I should do like you and just put 'em up. Also, I would love to visit the Berkshires and if I do I will definitely hit up this place. The scones look wonderful.

Katie! Thank you so much for the lovely post. I think you summed it up beautifully - it was an absolutely perfect day and one that I will never forget. The cake and hot chocolate were delicious - best I ever had. Maybe the "Queen of Cups" will become our new "Judie's"?!? Love you always.

Nice review. However, you made one big mistake - Bernardston is not in the Berkshires, it is in the Pioneer Valley. The two regions have a very different feel and the two populations don't have all that much in common. The Berkshires are more tourist oriented and restaurants tend to cater either to local or New York City tastes. The Pioneer Valley has its own food sensibility and is becoming a hotbed of locavore cooking and baking.

About Me

Private Chef, Caterer and Food Writer, co-owner of The Skinny Beet. Self proclaimed food-geek and lover of all things Boston, cooking up original and creative recipes from my wicked Small Boston Kitchen.
Contact: KNBarszcz[at]gmail[dot]com